title: Clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics of epilepsy in rural Ethiopia: a community-based study.
abstract: A community-based epidemiological study of neurological disorders was performed in a rural area in Ethiopia. The most prevalent neurological disorder identified was epilepsy, found in 316 persons. The prevalence of epilepsy was 5.2/1000 inhabitants at risk, 5.8 for males, 4.6 for females. The highest age-specific prevalence was found for ages 10-19 years. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were the most common seizure type and occurred in 81%. On clinical grounds, partial seizures occurred in 20% and in 29% of these secondary generalization followed. During seizures, 8.5% had been injured by burns and 5.7% by trauma. Eighty-four percent had seizures at least monthly. Seizures occurred in 4.8% of siblings. Traditional treatment with local herbs, holy water and amulets was the most common. Only 1.6% had been treated with recognized antiepileptic drugs. Mental retardation was the most common associated disorder, found in 7.9% of the persons with epilepsy. During a period of 2 years, 8 persons died of status epilepticus and 1 from severe burns as a result of falling into a domestic fire during a seizure. EEG was recorded in 73%. Epileptiform activity occurred in 18%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tekle-Haimanot
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forsgren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gebre-Mariam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heijbel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holmgren
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekstedt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D013997:Time Factors